


Alliance by fire

by Lilypipo



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Gen, Season/Series 08, Women Being Awesome, Women In Power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 11:10:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18497731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilypipo/pseuds/Lilypipo
Summary: “Your sister doesn’t like me.”“She doesn’t know you.”“I am her queen. If she can’t respect me…”--How Sansa and Daenerys come to respect one another.





	Alliance by fire

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Game of Thrones, ASoIaF, or any related properties. No profit is being made of this story. No beta, so any mistakes are mine.
> 
> This is what I wish (not think) would happen between GoT s8e1 and s8e2. Spoilers for GoT s8e1 and the trailer for s8e2.

Early in the morning there was a knock on the door to her private chambers. Sansa, who was at her desk reading the maester’s latest reports on their food supply, looked up as she said, “enter”. She hoped it was news on the young lord Umber - he should have been back yesterday.

To her great surprise however, it was Queen Daenerys walking through the door. Sansa rose at once and curtsied. It was rather a shallow one, but her years of training in King's Landing were too ingrained in her mind to do anything else. 

Daenerys graced her with one of her beautiful smiles. “Lady Stark. I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I would like to have a word.” 

“Of course, Your Grace. May I offer you some wine? Please, have a seat by the hearth, the predawn is chilly.”

Despite the unfailingly polite words they exchanged and the warmth of the fire she moved next to, Sansa felt goose bumps rise on her arms. There weren't many things the Dragon Queen could want to discuss with her in private, and at this time of day, too. She had a feeling she would be making concessions of some kind before the meeting was over, or the Queen could threaten to take back her armies and dragons.

Once they were seated, Daenerys spoke frankly and with a clear voice. “Jon tells me that you don't know me, and that makes it harder for you to respect me as your queen.”

This, Sansa had not expected. A short hesitation, before she replied: “It is true that I cannot claim to know you, Your Grace. We have heard reports of course, yet I have learned to mistrust second hand information.” 

Ramsay, Petyr had claimed, was nice and a true Northern man. Joffrey had been rumoured to be handsome and princely. 

Furthermore, the reports on Daenerys’ actions spoke of liberated slaves, but also of crucified prisoners, and earlier today a weeping Samwell Tarly had stood in her room, asking permission to send a raven to his now widowed mother. Sansa thought it best not to mention this, though.

Daenerys looked at her critically, yet Sansa's face gave nothing away. The mask she had perfected over the years had become part of her, and it would take more than mere scrutiny from the Dragon Queen to strip it off. 

“But you don't deny you find it difficult to respect me.” It wasn't a question.

Sansa decided to answer just as bluntly. “I find it hard to trust any person, Your Grace. I have been betrayed many times, to my detriment, most often by people of power who had sworn to protect me. Until such time as you prove true to your word to save the North and be a just ruler, I shall withhold any conclusions about you.”

Daenerys took a sip of her wine. Sansa could see it was just a stalling technique, to process her words and decide on a reply. True to Petyr's lessons, Sansa in turn tried to guess that reply, and found she wasn’t far off when it came. 

“Before he bent the knee, you were heir to the throne of your half-brother.” Again, a statement.

Again, Sansa decided to reply honestly and politely. Unlike Cersei, Daenerys seemed to react best to that. “I can't say I was pleased to hear what Jon had done, given the amount of placating I had to do with the Northern lords just to get them to hear him out. But I have long given up any desire to be Queen myself. It was beaten out of me. I just want to stay in my home, care for my people.”

“And the fact that your brother seems to care for me?” 

Here, Sansa could detect a hint of uncertainty in the other woman's voice. It was also the first question Daenerys had asked. Sansa knew she had to tread carefully here.

“Jon is my family. Until recently, he was the only family I thought I had left. He was the one I fled to for protection, before we took back our home together. I want what is best for him, as much as I want what is best for the North. But I can see he thinks that that is you, in both cases.”

Daenerys’ eyes softened as her tone hardened. “You've mentioned betrayal, and a need for protection. Your brother spoke little of your life, other than that you had recently returned to Winterfell together. What happened?”

Sansa willed her face to remain impassive. “What happens to all highborn girls with a claim? I was used as a pawn in the game of thrones. Until I decided to become a player.” 

For the first time, Daenerys smiled softly. “Lady Stark, we may have more in common than you think. Have you ever heard the term 'valar morghulis’? 

Was this a threat? “I believe I heard Arya mention it. All men must die?”

“Indeed. Missandei, my advisor, quoted it to me when I asked her if she was willing to follow me into perils unknown. And I told her: we are not men. Women can survive more than most men can dream of, but I, as Queen, intend to ensure girls like us are never used as pawns again.”

Now, Sansa allowed a small smile to break through her mask as well. While she could hear Petyr's voice in her head that anyone who could surprise her was dangerous, and Cersei's whispers that anyone other than her family should be mistrusted, it was nice hear this from Daenerys. 

She could tell Daenerys saw the change in her face as well, because her smile radiated even more. 

However, a knock on the door interrupted them. With an apologetic look to Daenerys, Sansa called “enter” as her mask slid back into place.

A guardsman appeared in the door opening, and upon spotting them sitting together Sansa could see his eyes widen. She hadn't had any illusions about their meeting remaining secret, but now she could be sure it would be all over the castle within the hour.

“Apologies my Lady, Your Grace. The Commander of the Lannister army is here.”

Dread filled Sansa. Had they come after all? She had felt so sure Cersei would never aid anyone, especially Tyrion, Daenerys or her, but…

“Escort him to the Great Hall and tell him we'll be there shortly. Find my brothers and ask them to join us.” Arya, she was sure, would be there already when she arrived. Her sister, together with Bran, had a knack for always being the first to know of any arrival. 

With a bow, the man hurried off to do as instructed.

Then, Sansa turned to Daenerys. “I apologise for the interruption, Your Grace, but I fear we must go to the Great Hall at once.” 

Sansa made to leave, but turned in the door opening, the glow of the fire shining once more on her face. “I… want to thank you for coming to see me. I admit you are not what I expected, and while I cannot claim to trust you yet, I promise to keep an open mind from now on.”

Daenerys nodded. Her face had also gone back to regal impassiveness, but her tone was genuine when she said: “I am glad, too. I was afraid I would find a prideful and suspicious Northerner, disliking me for my house. I am glad to have found instead a capable woman, wise in the ways of the world. I will grant you the time you need. Now come, we must go into the fray once more.”

And with that, they walked away from the warmth of the hearth, towards the unknown darkness side by side.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! Any comments (constructive criticism or otherwise) would be very welcome.


End file.
